Touch My Brother and You Die - Chapter 170
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“Your household is always so harmonious whenever I see it. It’s pleasant to witness.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
“Live beautifully and never leave Rocksburg for the rest of your life.”
Capo uttered words that could have been either a curse or a blessing, then asked me to contact her once the hunting party date was set, before embracing me in farewell.
Perhaps I should visit Serena next. It seems Aster’s
‘Drop dead, William Brown!’
tantrum has finally ended. The outside has been quiet since earlier.
“Are you going out again?”
As I rose from my seat, Glen grasped my hand reluctantly. Yes, I felt bad about leaving with all those documents waiting to be stamped, but there was something I needed to resolve first. I explained this while planting a kiss on Glen’s cheek and suggesting we meet again tonight. Glen responded with a perfect ninety-degree bow and said, “Please take care on your way.”
My husband certainly has impeccable manners. Here I am just stepping out for a personal errand, yet he bows like that.
I chuckled and left the office, only to witness a bizarre scene in the main hall. Dorothy was dragging Janet by her hair, apparently having finished their transaction.
Janet wailed pitifully, insisting that this mansion was her home, that Rocksburg Estate was her home, and that Rosalite was her boss—so why should she go to some decrepit old woman’s house? She protested vehemently.
The moment Dorothy heard herself called an old woman, she lifted Janet into the air and unleashed eight consecutive flash kicks before dragging her away again.
Wow, so there really is someone who can use Chun-Li’s leg techniques in reality. I’ve witnessed something truly rare.
I had intended to hide a bit longer due to my fear of Duke Edanelli, but then Father emerged with a riding crop and began striking the wall repeatedly. Declaring that with fewer hands, everyone must work harder, he ordered Asterion to continue, and Leon tearfully finished the work Janet had been doing.
Where on earth did that enormous marble slab come from? If they could bring something that large here, they could have just built the staircase with it. What possessed him to leave it in a distant location and make the children drag it?
Well… Father is petty enough that he might have been suppressing his frustration every time the house was damaged, only to explode now. I’d better not leave and risk getting caught.
I held my breath to avoid encountering Father, waiting until the Duke and William had completely left the area before descending to the entrance hall to comfort Leon.
The child asked if I was unharmed, whether my life was in danger, and seemed on the verge of trauma shock. I quickly administered some comforting pats as emergency care and headed toward the Annex Building.
Surprisingly, the Annex Building had become a wasteland in the meantime.
“Oh, you’ve returned from seeing the Doctor!”
As I arrived at the Annex Building riding the segway that Edanelli’s sweet-smiling woman had kindly helped me down from the carriage with, Papa greeted me warmly. Seeing that Aster wasn’t around, I assumed he’d gone to recharge his energy. But where was Serena?
“Where is Serena?”
“Don’t worry. You can’t get lost in a place that’s sealed off on all sides.”
Well… I suppose that’s generally true.
When I went to the place Sage guided me to, there was a rectangular tunnel. The blackened Excalibur planted in the center seemed to be the space that had once been the basement.
It looks like they blew the ceiling clean off.
“Serena! Is it okay to just touch that? I thought Papa said not to touch it carelessly!”
“It’s fine! I’m not an authorized user! Access denied!”
Ah… in other words, she just touched it recklessly without thinking about the consequences.
When I calmly offered my opinion, Papa consoled me. He said this old woman was always so reckless, so I just had to get used to it. Since I was already an expert at adaptation, there was nothing to worry about.
“Shall we go down and take a look?”
“Right. Hey, old woman! Try using some magic to make it safe for us to go down!”
“How rude.”
As Serena waved her arms, my body floated up and landed safely on the basement floor. And Sage crashed hard into the ground. They’re fighting again. The two of them bickering once more. How much longer would I have to wait for this quarrel to end?
“You incorrigible child. Your younger brother reacted when he touched that thing, so he seems to be an authorized user. Bring him here first. We need to confirm whether that cursed Celin’s creation is the real deal or not.”
“That’s not possible.”
If Leon’s memories are restored, it would be a disaster. Even now, I was fortunate to only recall up to when I attempted suicide, but if he recovered memories from before that, this time Leon might actually die.
The child’s mental state was already fragile, and even now, whenever his trauma triggers are pressed, he trembles and struggles. Wasn’t he just trying not to cry while checking on my wellbeing earlier? Absolutely not.
As I explained the situation and opposed using Leon as a test subject, Serena stroked my head with a surprised expression.
“So you do have a kind heart thinking of your younger brother. Well, humans are multidimensional beings, after all.”
“And if you need a test subject, I believe I could serve that purpose.”
“The Doctor’s right, old woman. From what I’ve observed, the chain connected to that sword is the same as the Doctor’s mana.”
That wasn’t what I meant at all, but since they’re misunderstanding it this way, I should just keep my mouth shut.
Serena seemed to think Papa’s words made sense, so she took my hand and told me to reach my other hand toward the sword. I was about to grasp the blackened Excalibur as Serena instructed, when something suddenly occurred to me, so I checked first.
“By the way, if I happen to lose control when I grab the sword, you’ll be able to stop me, right?”
“I’ll stop you before you lose control.”
“With mana drain or control or something like that, you can prevent loss of control?”
“No.”
“…”
“…”
Right. I roughly understand what that means. It’s that thing I often say. The dead tell no tales.
I decided to let everything go. This is it—all or nothing.
What was it they said before? That I lose control when stress reaches its limit. But I don’t have any stress right now, so I won’t lose control. Besides, Serena and Sage are both here to handle whatever happens to me.
And most importantly, we have Macaon!
I trust you, Macaon!
I grasped the sword with absolute faith in Macaon alone. A humming sound emanated, and a sensation like losing consciousness arose.
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Ah, it’s been so long since I’ve been here. A place where nothing exists. A place where only consciousness dwells. It feels strangely welcoming, and my mood is peculiar, but then an even more familiar voice reached me. That mechanical, feminine voice I’d heard long ago.
– User identification in progress. Confirmed as substitute for contractor. The main body does not welcome contact from the substitute.
What? I’m happy to hear from you. Why doesn’t she welcome this?
– Response. Battery is decreasing.
… That’s an unexpectedly realistic answer. Battery decrease, huh. Is that a metaphor for how talking to me drains her? No, but she doesn’t seem like the type of entity to use metaphors.
– Stress levels confirmed. Normal. Runaway protocol unnecessary. Contact termination is recommended.
You really don’t want to talk to me, do you? Besides asking me to stay away, don’t you have anything else to say?
– Stress level recheck is 1. Exit is 2. Connection to counselor is 0.
… Why, why is this suddenly an automated response system? More importantly, how am I supposed to answer? Do I just think “0” without pressing anything? And if it’s connecting to a counselor, who am I being connected to?!
I was utterly bewildered when, as if merely thinking was enough for this system, I heard a voice announcing the connection to a counselor was beginning. I was terrified of who I’d be connected to, but after a crackling noise, the same voice as before flowed out.
But it was different from before.
– There is no time left. I’ll speak plainly. Do you currently have a strong ally beside you who trusts and helps you completely? This refers to someone of strength comparable to Serena and Maria Rocksburg. Y/N
Why did she become so rude? The part about trusting and helping completely is somewhat ambiguous, but if it’s Serena, she’d be holding my hand right now, and Sage Oswald could also be said to be someone of comparable skill, right? On the part where both are incredibly strong, no one could possibly disagree.
– You’ve even drawn in Serena and Sage Oswald. You’re one lucky bastard. Fine. I approve the summons of Celin.
Celin? Celin is what Serena mentioned earlier? Someone related to Excalibur? The person who inserted it? The person who made it? Anyway, you’re calling someone like that right now? What is this. Who was the counselor in the first place! Is it you?!
– I surely called someone infinitely close to Rosalite Rocksburg. You’re a severely lacking one. Do you understand? This is your first and last chance.
Can you see my question marks right now? If this Consciousness Realm were a system where I could see things with my eyes, there would be about five thousand two hundred and thirty question marks around me, wouldn’t there? Can you see? Can you see this utter confusion of mine?!
– Farewell. By all means, do not forget where you came from.
Where did I come from! I walked from the Main Building to the Annex Building! No, wait, I rode a Segway, so did I really walk? While I was thinking that, the mechanical voice echoed, “Idiot, idiot.”
Furious, I raised my fist to strike, but Serena beside me blocked my attack squarely.
“This is definitely Celin’s doing. And this is….”
What on earth is this?!
Something was gleaming beside me, so I stepped back, and light was stretching out from the darkened Excalibur. Why did this Celin person or whoever plant something like this in someone else’s house? What is this even?! What’s going on?!
“It’s a method Celin frequently uses when confirming territory. A summons must have been sent, so she’ll appear here soon.”
I see… Well, this is, um… this Celin person? Is from the Magic Tower, it seems, so I really hope she’d fight outside our house… Our house is already crumbling, and Father must be worried sick.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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